The good and bad news on how Californians are protecting themselves from identity theft and fraud

COSTA MESA, Calif., Oct. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A national survey by Experian's ProtectMyID® reveals that while many in California know some of the dos and don'ts of how to protect themselves against identity theft, they still are not following several basic protection methods when using the Internet. Unfortunately, this puts individuals at risk. The survey shows that 31 percent of California survey respondents have been victims of identity theft within the past two years. Nationally, that number was 45 percent. This likely reflects the high-frequency of data breaches that have occurred across the country and the 90 breaches reported in California so far this year¹.

Although some California residents are diligent about taking key steps for protection — such as using a password to unlock a laptop computer (70 percent of respondents), enabling remote tracking and wiping capabilities on their smartphone (61 percent of respondents), and managing the privacy settings on social networks on an ongoing basis (44 percent of respondents) — there is room for more proactive measures. Only 24 percent of respondents reported checking their credit reports regularly for signs of possible suspicious activity, and 22 percent reported closing browsers without logging out of their online accounts.

While 40 percent of California respondents reported receiving a data breach notification letter that their information was exposed, a majority rarely worry about their identity being stolen (51 percent of respondents). Consumers still practice behaviors that put them at risk, including keeping a written record of passwords in a purse or a wallet (21 percent of respondents) and not checking if a Website is secure when shopping online (54 percent of respondents).

"Though residents are taking a few proactive measures to prevent identity theft, there are always more precautions they can take, especially in light of the increase in company data breaches occurring," said Becky Frost, senior manager of consumer education for Experian's ProtectMyID. "You never know when a breach may happen, so it is recommended to change passwords on an ongoing basis, check your credit report frequently and limit personal information you provide to the organizations you access."

Additional survey findings
Some Californians have a solid level of awareness and security habits, but education still is needed to help residents prevent identity theft.

Individuals can be more security-focused

• Seventy percent of respondents reported logging in to personal accounts while using an open network
• Almost 30 percent of individuals surveyed feel comfortable sharing passwords with family members or friends
• More than 20 percent of respondents reported they keep a written record of passwords and personal identification numbers in a purse or a wallet
• Nineteen percent of individuals surveyed use the same password for all or most online accounts

There is a lack of monitoring for identity theft

• When notified of a data breach and offered a period of free credit monitoring, only 37 percent of respondents signed up
• Twenty-six percent of respondents never check their credit report for errors or suspicious activity, and 40 percent check only once every six months or less
• Only 19 percent of respondents review their credit card numbers stored or on file with online accounts once per month or more, and 34 percent never check

Top tips to safeguard your identity

• Change passwords regularly
• Avoid sharing personally identifying information, such as your birthday, on social networks
• Shred financial documents before disposing of them
• Review credit reports regularly and watch for signs of fraud
• If you receive a data breach notification letter from a business, follow the instructions and enroll in its offer for free protection products
• Have a partner in the fight against identity theft; consider enrolling in identity protection monitoring, and take action if you receive alerts that your identity could be compromised

About the survey
The online survey was conducted by Edelman Berland on behalf of Experian from Sept. 2, 2014, through Sept. 5, 2014, among 1,000 adults ages 18 and older residing in the United States including 106 in California. This online survey is not based on a probability sample; therefore, no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact [email protected].

About Experian's ProtectMyID
ProtectMyID is a leading, full-service provider of identity theft detection, protection and resolution. ProtectMyID offers identity theft protection supported by experienced identity theft resolution professionals who deliver personal attention that customers can rely on. ProtectMyID.com^® is a Website owned by ConsumerInfo.com^® Inc., an Experian company. For more information about how ProtectMyID helps consumers protect themselves against identity theft, please visit http://www.protectmyid.com.

About Experian
Experian^® is a leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients around the world. The Group helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2014, was US$4.8 billion. Experian employs approximately 16,000 people in 39 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.

Experian and the Experian marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

¹2014 Data Breach Stats, Identity Theft Resource Center

Contacts:

Ann Noder
Pitch PR
1 480 263 1557
[email protected]

Sandra A. Bernardo, APR
Experian Consumer Services
1 949 567 3676
[email protected]

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SOURCE Experian’s ProtectMyID